Water Main Breaks, Margie's Candies to Serve Up Sundaes in Plastic Dishes

A water break on Armitage Avenue just west of Western Avenue has caused traffic to be backed up as police reroute cars around the flowing water.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser

BUCKTOWN — If you are planning to visit an iconic ice cream parlor for Valentine's Day, be advised that you will be eating your sundae out of a plastic bowl, after a broken underground water main caused Margie's Candies' water to be turned off on Friday.

Maria Gomez, manager of Margie's Candies at 1960 N. Western Ave. said water began flowing onto the street in front of the ice cream parlor around noon on Friday.

Gomez was told by crews that water will be turned off at 5 p.m. Friday.

"We have back-up water and bottled water," said Gomez, explaining the use of the disposable dishes for the sundaes, normally served in shell-shaped white or silver bowls.

Tom LaPorte, a water department spokesman, said he is unsure of what caused the leak.

"We have a very old infrastructure and have to assume it can be both water and age that played a role," LaPorte said.

LaPorte said the flooding was caused by a 12-inch water main break underground.

As crews work on the leak on Friday night, westbound traffic will be shutdown on Armitage Avenue between Milwaukee Avenue and Western Avenue, LaPorte said, adding that the CTA No. 73 Armitage bus going westbound will be rerouted.

Laporte said crews will be digging underground Friday night to work on repairing the water main.